Lorana the War Maiden
by Embertine
Summary: Lorana was not born to the Rakkor, but she embraced them nonetheless. This is the story of how she became a Rakkoran and how she lost all she ever loved. Rated T for violence.


Lorana was but a small child laying near death by the side of the road when a Rakkoran patrol passed her by.

As she watched them pass her weak and frail form, not one looked upon her. The warriors of Rakkor believed well that only the strong whom could fight for their lives were deserving of any aid. And so they continued on, leaving behind the child with death in her eyes.

Lorana laid there upon the ground for several hours after, no thought in her mind nor energy to move her limbs. She lay there until finally a single Rakkoran came back from where the patrol had gone. He was battered and bruised, deep cuts flowing with blood upon his arms and legs.

His patrol had run into a Noxian ambush of near five times their numbers. Though the Noxians had fallen he was the only Rakkoran left of the patrol.

Despite his wounds he stood tall and walked without so much as a flinch in pain.

As before, he did not look upon Lorana. However he came to a stop when he felt a weight pulling upon his cape. He looked down to see Lorana holding on tightly to his cape with more than what little strength her tiny fingers should have held.

He looked into her eyes then and saw no thoughts or desires. Nor did he see any fear or desperation. What he saw was a powerful will, a will that declared that she would not die on the side of a dirt road, that she would not die without a fight, that she would not die alone.

It was this strength of will that drove the warrior of Rakkor to gather the child into his arms and return her to his home. Lorana was so small at the time that one might have mistaken her for a doll in his embrace.

Over time the warrior nursed Lorana back to health and raised her as his own daughter. He trained her alongside his three sons to be every bit as strong as any warrior born to Rakkor, despite her origins.

Lorana had grown beautiful as time passed and she became a teenager then adult. Her body had become strong through the years of training received from her adoptive father Tarvon, yet remained slim and attractive despite her toned muscles. Her black hair flowed behind her as she moved, like a sheet of midnight sky. Her blue eyes shined bright beneath her bangs, filled with life and determination. She carried herself with dignity and grace as she walked, and projected an image of kindness and purity. To many she looked as though she couldn't harm a fly, though they would be dead wrong.

She stood now amongst other young warriors, her helm held at her side. They were being given orders to march in intercept of a recent incursion into Rakkor territory by Noxus. There were two groups being sent out. The first group was Lorana's, the young men and women whom had recently come of age and were to be tested in battle. They were to be lead by a experienced warriors, five for every ten of Lorana's fellows.

The second group consisted of a handful of older more experienced warriors to search for other possible intrusions by the Noxians. It was this group that her brothers, Airen, Solom, and Uhmeir, and her father Tarvon were a part of.

Once the orders were given the young warriors were allowed some time with their families before they were to depart. Lorana searched for hers in the milling crowds.

Due to her being shorter than most of the women of Rakkor, she appeared as though she were a teenager searching for a lost little sibling.

She stopped and looked around for a moment.

"Surely they haven't departed already?" she spoke quietly to herself.

Then suddenly a large and heavy hand plopped itself atop her head and ruffled her hair, the owner of said hand giving a deep chuckle.

"You look worried. You didn't think we would leave without seeing you first did you?" the voice spoke, sounding as deep as an ocean.

Lorana ducked out from the hand and and turned to see that it was Airen, the oldest and largest of her brothers. Built like a mountain, Airen dwarfed all other Rakkorans, Lorana only standing up to his chest.

Stepping around him and into view were her other brothers, Solom and Uhmeir whom were of average height.

Her middle brother Solom clapped a hand on her shoulder with his trademarked grin plastered upon his face and spoke, "Now you know we would never do that to you!" His own voice was smooth and rich. Many young women would often swoon at the sound of his voice.

Uhmeir the youngest, simply gave her a silent nod, though he was trying to hide the small smile that threatened to show. He was the shy one of her brothers. Always keeping quiet and letting everyone else do the talking.

With a laugh of her own Lorana gave each of her brothers a hug and spoke to them of her excitement for her mission.

Having trained together for years they naturally began sharing tips and strategies for countering foes with unique fighting styles. Lorana had heard all the tips many times before as her brothers and father had taught her well. But she let them continue anyway. After all, older brothers were always protective of their younger sisters.

"Airen, Solom, Uhmeir, prepare for our trip while I speak with Lorana." interrupted a voice from the side.

Lorana turned and immediately stood at attention when she saw that it was Tarvon, her father.

Her brothers bid her well and left to prepare.

Tarvon waited until they left before he spoke.

"In our family there is a tradition Lorana. One that would have involved the woman that would have been your mother if she had been alive when I brought you into our home."

Lorana remained quiet as he spoke. It was the first she had ever heard of any tradition within the family.

Tarvon pulled a small pendant from the pouch tied to his belt and continued.

"In normal circumstances upon a young woman coming of age, her mother would pass down this pendant to her, in recognition of her daughter becoming a woman, as her mother had done before her, and her mother before her. I think it is time you received it now."

Lorana was stunned beyond words. What he had just told her bore incredible meaning, and the fact that he was carrying out the tradition on behalf of his late wife held even deeper meaning. It meant that not only did he recognize her as a grown woman, but also that he considered her as though she were his own flesh and blood.

Lorana felt a great sense of joy well up inside her, and quickly put an end to her tears before they began.

"I'm honored. . ." Lorana said quietly, then shook her head and pushed his hand away. "However, let me first prove myself. Let me prove that I am worthy of it, and that I am a true warrior of Rakkor."

Tarvon smiled and placed the pendant back into his pouch.

"Very well then," he spoke. "when you have proven yourself is when it shall be passed to you."

Lorana nodded.

"I will bring honor to our family father."

I know you will." Tarvon responded.

They parted then, heading to join the rest of their parties.

In truth Lorana did not know if she was worthy of being a Rakkoran warrior. But what she feared most in her life, was that she was not worthy enough to be Tarvon's daughter. It was that fear that pushed her through her training and eventually shaped her into the warrior she had become.

Lorana and her group departed towards what would be for most of them, their first real battle.

They marched for a full day before they had to stop and make camp. Sentries were posted and scouts sent out. The warriors brought out their sharpening stones and set to work on their weapons, prepping them for the upcoming battle.

As is the case with all soldiers with time on their hands, the idle chatter started up and the jokes and rumors began swimming about.

Lorana had heard many of them before. Jokes such as the reason she was as short as she was often spoke of Airen having sucked up most of the height in the family when he was born, leaving just enough for Solom and Uhmeir but hardly any for Lorana.

Many rumors claimed that the reason no one had seen Lorana until years after her birth were because Tarvon had been ashamed of her frailty when she was young.

Such rumors had risen due to her mysterious emergence as a member of Tarvon's family. None but Tarvon and his sons knew of her past, a fact that made her quite mysterious in the eyes of others.

Suddenly a returning scout cried out, "Attack! A brigade of Noxians is approaching!"

Lorana and her fellows were quickly directed into groups and placed in front of the formations with the more experienced warriors in back. This was done primarily so that the recruits could gain battle experience, without the experienced warriors killing all the enemy first.

Lorana however found herself placed in the rear of her group, in between the other recruits and the experienced warriors. It irritated her but she knew the reasons.

The most important factor of a phalanx formation was for there to be no weak points within the wall of shields. Due to Lorana's shorter height she would have been a weak point in the phalanx, and so was held in rear.

The battle began with the Noxian soldiers racing towards them, shouting as if mad with blood lust.

Lorana clenched the grip of her shield tighter. Her heart raced within her chest and she gritted her teeth in anticipation. Though she was not up front with those whom would meet the oncoming force, she would still feel the impact of the enemy against the phalanx as the Rakkoran warriors braced themselves and strove to stop the oncoming flood in its tracks.

There was a storm of clanging and ringing as shields collided and Lorana found her own shield pressed firmly into the back of the warrior before her as she and the rest of the phalanx dug their heels in and braced against the tide. They all slid back, but only a few feet before the Noxian wave came to a stop. It was then that the spears of Rakkor struck.

From behind their wall of shields they struck, each piercing spearhead bringing down a foe.

With each line of Noxians that fell the next would step forward, and for every Rakkoran that fell another would step forward to take his place within the shield wall.

Lorana found herself stepping up twice as first one, than another of the recruits ahead of her fell. She found holding position in the phalanx was a battle in and upon itself.

With each wave that rammed into the phalanx, the warriors were pushed back another few feet. Lorana and the others around her braced those in front and held them in place, preventing the formation from crumbling.

Such was the phalanx, an immovable object that the Noxian attacks splashed against like waves upon a cliff.

Before Lorana knew it only a fraction of the Noxians were left. The Noxians had piled against their shields to no avail, leaving so many dead with only a few fallen Rakkorans to show for it.

Now they retreated, their numbers too few to hope to break the wall of shields.

It was then that the experienced warriors charged. They raced from the now opened formation and launched their spears through the air.

The spears rained down upon the fleeing Noxians like a rain of arrows. Each finding their way to the back of an enemy or into the ground very close to one. When the last spear fell there was but a handful of Noxians left.

The Rakkorans did not give chase, for it was better that the few who remained of their enemy returned to spread the word of what had happened there.

Lorana guiltily regretted not being able to slay a foe of her own. She knew that if she had moved up to the front it would only have been because others had died ahead of her. She would have to prove herself a true warrior of Rakkor another day.

The fallen were gathered and weapons cleaned. Their mission had been accomplished and it was time to return home.

However on their trip back a messenger intercepted them. He brought news of a second incursion bearing down upon Tarvon's party, with orders to intercept. With half a day of marching ahead they set out.

Though she herself could personally account for the strength of her family, Lorana could not help but feel worried. No matter how strong a person was, numbers would eventually wear them down.

They arrived by nightfall and witnessed the ensuing battle.

The officers in charge gave the order to attack the Noxians while their attention was drawn to Tarvon's group.

The young Rakkoran recruits charged forth eager for battle, while the experienced warriors followed in behind.

Lorana ran as fast as her legs would carry her across the field and down the hill.

The only source of light was the moon above as the warriors swept down like a dark tide.

All thought left Lorana's mind and time seemed to slow as she came to her first enemy. She sliced through his hamstring, toppling him over before sliding her spearhead across his throat.

Though it was her first official enemy kill, it never even crossed her mind. Years of training had given her a sharpened and honed sense of combat. Her body moved as if it naturally knew what to do, swiftly and fluidly.

Every enemy she came to she gave a quick fatal strike and moved on, not even bothering to wait for them to fall. She knew each of her blows were fatal and the Noxian would be dead before he even knew what had happened.

She carved a path through the Noxians, not even counting the numbers she brought down. She did not care. All that mattered to her was that she reach her father and brothers and saw that they were safe.

The cries of the dying and wounded, the clash of metal ringing in the air, it all sang in the night like a bloody symphony.

As the battle raged, storm clouds rolled across the sky bringing rain, thunder, and lightning.

The grass became slick with rain and blood, the clashing of shields spears and swords were only drowned out by the deep thunder overhead.

Flashes of lightning created brief still images of warriors struggling for life and death across the field.

It was in one such flash of lightning that Lorana froze in place. What she saw would be forever burned into her memory and haunt her dreams.

As the lightning illuminated the battlefield Lorana saw for only a moment, Airen, Solom, Uhmeir, and her father Tarvon, laying amidst dozens of dead Noxian soldiers. A large armored figure standing above their still forms, and three others surrounding them as if guarding the armored figure.

Lorana's heart sank and she felt a cold chill like ice within her chest.

She could not believe the image the storm had just shown her. It had to be a lie!

She raced forth, any Noxians that dared to bar her path met with a shield to their face or a thrust of her spear.

When finally she reach her destination she slowed to a halt and stood silent.

Words could not convey the emotions that raced through her heart at that moment. No story teller alive could describe how she felt.

Lorana fell to her knees, dropping her shield and spear to the ground.

The armored figure was a Noxian general, whom had come to lead the incursion. He gave her but the briefest of looks before motioning to his guards that they were leaving.

Lorana slowly looked to each of her brothers and her father, the pouring rain and thunder unnoticed to her.

A flash of lightning illuminated the scene, allowing Lorana to see her father clutching something tight in his fist.

She reached out, her hand shaking, and slowly pried the object from her father's grasp. It was the pendant he had been going to give her back before they had departed.

In his final moments of life he had taken it from his pouch and held on to it with all his might, as if his only thought was of Lorana.

She remained unmoving for an untold amount of time, simply staring at the pendant as it lay in her palm. The battle ending without her knowing.

The victorious Rakkorans gathered around her, silent and as still as watchful sentinels. The sorrow welled up inside of her until it finally burst out.

Tears began to flow and her heart felt as if it were ripped asunder. She clutched the pendant to her chest and cried out to the heavens above, the pain she felt greater then any weapon could inflict.

Though the rain hid her tears and the wind and thunder her sobs, her pain could be felt by each of the warriors gathered around her. For they knew she had just lost everything that was dear to her in her life.

Time passed and Lorana eventually became silent. Her tears all shed, and her throat sore.

Without a word Lorana slid the pendant's chain over her head and let it rest upon her chest. She picked up her spear and shield and stood to her feet.

She took off in a run then, not caring that the other Rakkorans followed, surrounding her and keeping pace with her, as if they were her honor guard. Her only thought, her only desire, was to exact vengeance upon the man whom had just ripped apart her life.

The Rakkorans caught up to the general and surrounded him and his three guards, preventing any escape.

The rain continued and with the clash of thunder the Rakkorans banged their shields with their spears. They continued to do so in unison, creating a drum like beat that resonated through the air.

Neither the general nor his guards knew what was happening then, they looked at the surrounding warriors in confusion.

Then almost as suddenly as it had began the warriors fell silent.

The ring parted on one side, revealing Lorana steadily walking forward, her shoulders back and her head held high.

She only stood up to the shoulders of the other warriors, but them having parted for her passing spoke of something that the general did not understand. It was as if she commanded the respect of every one of her fellow warriors. As if they believed she would win against four opponents on her own.

Lorana stepped into the ring and it closed behind her, sealing her, the general, and his guards in an arena. The general's guards drew their weapons and began taking slow steps towards Lorana.

Lorana took no time in acting.

Her brother Airen had taught her the importance of offense, and so she dashed forth striking with her spear. Her target was launched several feet back by the force of her blow, skidding to a halt upon the wet grass where he lay still.

The second guard took the chance and engaged. However Solom had taught Lorana the importance of defense. She raised her shield and blocked his repeated attacks. Letting him wear himself out Lorana then retaliated, striking back faster and harder then he had. Her flurry of blows brought him down, while the third guard rushed forward attempting to slay her while she was preoccupied.

But Lorana used the grace she had learned from her brother Uhmeir to roll under the blow, dodging the attack. She then brought her shield up and slammed it into him, stunning the soldier long enough for her to deliver a fatal blow.

As the three guards lay dead Lorana stood in silence.

The whole battle having lasted no more than thirteen seconds.

The general backed away as a flash of lightning revealed Lorana's deep blue eyes gazing upon him, her black hair clinging to her form in the rain. The Rakkorans opened their circle, allowing him to run.

They knew he would not escape.

Lorana chased after him, all her weariness forgotten and all her pain behind her. Now the world contained only her and the man whom ran from her.

The general managed to gain some distance, but it was not enough. No amount of distance would ever be enough to save him from what came next.

Tarvon had taught Lorana well throughout the years of her training. And one lesson he stressed to no end was how to hit a moving target.

Lorana launched herself into the air and took aim. She did not aim for the general himself. Instead she aimed for the space he would soon be in.

She launched her spear with such force that it appeared to be no more than a streak through the air.

When it struck lightning cracked across the sky and thunder roared within the heavens.

Lorana stood alone, the other Rakkorans watching from a distance.

The general fell to his knees, clutching the spear that sprouted from his chest.

As he gasped for air Lorana walked before him and drew her sword.

"Who. . .are. . .you?" The general asked in gasps as blood flowed from the corner of his mouth and the hole in his chest.

Lorana looked upon him for a moment before she answered. Her voice strong and full of pride.

"I am Lorana, warrior of Rakkor, and daughter of Tarvon."

Quote - "Even the weak may become strong, if only you offer them aid."

* * *

This was originally the lore for a champion concept I have.

However I decided to post it up here since it technically falls into the category of fanfiction.

Please feel free to let me know what you think!

The up to date champion concept can be found in the LOL skin & champions concepts by typing Lorana into the search bar.

Let me know what you think of the story and Lorana as a character!


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